Race of Champions sets sail for Barbados

Filed under: Motorsports, South America



Every year the racing season closes with the annual Race of Champions. The year-end event gives drivers from different racing disciplines a chance to compete against each other on common ground and in identical machinery. And while it doesn't necessarily move every year, organizers try to bring the action to different locations.

After a dozen years in the Canary Islands, the race was hosted in France for three years, then London for two, Beijing in 2009, followed by two years in Düsseldorf, Germany. In 2012 it was held in Bangkok, but was canceled last year due to political unrest. Now the organizers have confirmed that the race will be held this year in Barbados.

The selection of the Bushy Park Circuit in the capital of Bridgetown makes this not only the first time the race will be held in the Caribbean, but also the first time it will be hosted in the Americas altogether. According to track chairman Mark Maloney, "Motor sport is the number one spectator sport in Barbados, ahead of even cricket and football." The track recently upgraded from a 0.8-mile circuit to a 1.2-mile FIA Grade 3 facility with capacity for tens of thousands of spectators, and has recently hosted the Global Rallycross Championship together with the Top Gear Festival in May.

This year's ROC will be held December 13-14, starting with the Nations Cup, followed by the individual Race of Champions the next day and culminating with a new Skills Challenge. Romain Grosjean was the last champion crowned in 2012, preceded by Sébastien Ogier, Filipe Alburgquerque, Mattias Ekstrom and Sébastien Loeb. The Nations Cup, however, has been dominated for six years by the German pairing of Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.Continue reading Race of Champions sets sail for Barbados

Race of Champions sets sail for Barbados originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Sep 2014 14:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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